In the quiet of night, a Howard Beach family’s life was shattered by a sudden, terrifying sound: a gunshot. The unexpected blast not only fractured the peace but also struck at the heart of a home, leaving a beloved Pomeranian-Husky mix named Aria fighting for her life. Here’s what happened.

Midnight Terror

The ordeal began unexpectedly in the middle of the night, around 1:30 AM on a Monday, when a stray bullet shattered the peace of her family’s home. This bullet, fired carelessly, went through the window of Lisa’s parents’ bedroom. The noise of the glass breaking was immediately followed by the distressing sounds of Aria, who was badly hurt.

Reacting quickly to the crisis, Lisa’s brother discovered Aria bleeding and rushed her to the hospital. There, it was found that the bullet had hit her leg and she needed surgery. “He saw all the blood and he’s like, we have to get it to the vet,” Lisa explained about those terrifying moments.

Police Got Involved

The police soon traced the origin of the gunfire to a neighbor’s house. It turned out that an 18-year-old named Joshua Martin was responsible for the shooting. In a shocking twist, his mother initially hid the weapons in their freezer, only revealing this to detectives later.

Despite the severe start to this ordeal, there was a moment of hope when Aria seemed to improve. In the hospital, she even managed to walk out of her cage during a visit, showing signs of wanting to return home. “She just looked tired,” Lisa recalled, hopeful at Aria’s apparent desire to be back with her family. This brief moment of optimism made the subsequent events even more devastating.

Aria Did Not Survive

Tragically, Aria did not survive; she passed away on the following Friday. The community’s hope turned into grief. Overwhelmed by the loss, Lisa shared her emotional turmoil: “I can’t be in my parents’ room. I can’t sleep on myself. I’m just a mess.” The traumatic events and Aria’s death had deeply affected her.

Following the incident, Joshua Martin faced legal consequences, being charged with criminal possession of weapons and reckless endangerment. In response to the tragedy, Lisa took legal steps as well, securing a restraining order against Martin, indicating her desire to sever all ties with the neighbor whose actions had led to such loss.